House car



Feb. 23, 1937. F. DITCHFIE'LD HOUSE can Fiied Oct. 25, 19ss 3Sheets-Sheet -1 o o o m m o lwlml llll Ifiunior nmwww Feb. 23, 1937. F.DITCHI-VIELD HOUSE CAR Filed Oct. 25, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 InvenrJim/(1w fzleld Feb. 23, 1937. F. olTcHFlELb HOUSE CAR Filed Oct. 25,1935 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEnoose can Frank Ditchileld. Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The YoungstownSteel Door Compa w, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio f ApplicationOctober 25, 1933, Serial No. 695,066

9 Claims.' (Cl- 105-409) This invention relates to improvements in housecars. A great many box cars of the type commonly known assingle sheathedhouse cars are now in use on the railroads, these cars comprising asteel underframe including channel side'sills; steel side plates,usually angles or Z bars; pressed steel side posts and diagonal bracesriveted at their ends to the side plates and side sills; sheet metalends; and wood side wall sheathing applied to the inner. sides of theposts and braces, one exempiiflcation of such a house car being knownas'U. S. R. A. standard steel underframe single sheathed box car. Aswell known to those is skilled in the.art, the wood sheathingof suchsingle sheathed house cars,;after being in service for any considerable-time, permits leakage due to shrinkage of the boardsjthe driving ofnails therethrough for the purpose of fastening 20 the lading. and otherabuses, particularly at the rear of-the door where pinch bars arefrequentlyused inforcing the doors to closed position. As' is alsowellknown, there is a constantly growing demand for all steel carsbecause of their 25 greater durability, strength, lesser maintenancecosts and freedom from leakage. At the present time, therefore, railroadoilicials are confronted with "the problem oi determining whether or not.to try and keep in repair 3 the present single wood sheathed cars newon hand by renewing the wood sheathing, with the attendant expense andrecurring repair bills sure to follow, or to meet the demand for anallmetal car with steel sheathing having greater strength,

35 durability, freedom from leakage and lesser maintenance costs. In thegreat majority of said single -wood sheathed cars, the steel under-.frames, posts, braces, metal ends and side plates are still serviceableand reusable. To replace 0 the entire superstructure of such woodshe'athed box cars would entail relatively great expense and it isobvious. therefore, that it is to the a great advantage of the'railroadsin meeting the demands for an all steel car, to reuse'or salvagealloithesteelpartsofthesuperstructureina construction and more such acar;

.thatmayreadilybeconvertedfromawoodsin- 5s gle sheathed box carvirhereinv allot the original metal underirame, metal ends, side plates,side posts and braces may be retained in their original positions andcondition and combined with the metal sheathing to thereby minimize thecost of conversion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal sheathed box carof the type indicated in the preceding paragraph, wherein specialprovision is madeto eliminate or minimize possibility of the sheathingbeing perforated or otherin Wise injured by reason of nails driven fromthe inside of the car. in securing the lading.

A specific object of the'invention is to providemetal side wallsheathing for a car converted from a standard single wood sheathed carsuch that the metal sheathing may be applied in place without disturbingany of the original attach-' ments of the posts and braces to the sideplates and side sills to the end that the labor expense in convertingthe car iakept down to a minimum.

' 0 Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a sideelevational view of-a car embodying the improvements, the portion of thecar shown being from the usual side door opening to one end,'parts beingbroken out to better accommodate the view on the sheet. Figures2 and 2",combined. constitute a horizontal section of the car from car end todoor post,

corresponding to the section line 22of Figure 1 but upon a somewhatenlarged scale. Figure 3 is [an enlarged, horizontal sectional viewofthe corner portion of the car to more clearly 'view through the "carside corresponding sub- 0 stantially to the line 5-5 of Figure 2. VWhilev Figure 1 illustrates only approximately one half of one side ofthe car, it will be understoodthat the otherhalfofthesideofthecar willbe complemental thereto and that the two a 'sidesofthecarwillbesimilar.

' In said drawings, A indicates one of the channel side sills oi thecar; B one ofthe cross members of the steel underi'rame; C one oftheside plates, the same being'oi special angle section as commonlyfound in standard single sheathed box cars;' D-D pressed intermediatesteel side posts; E'E pressed steel diagonal side braces; I a 2 bar doorpost; and G a metal end. The parts hereinabove specifically referencedcorrespond to i 2 those new round in standard single wood sheathed boxcars and. in carrying out, the present inven-.

tion with reference to a car converted to anallsteelcar,areleftintact.Aswillbeuns derstondbytneseslnnedinthenmwnerethe present invention isembodied in aconvertedcar,

minorvariationsastocertainofthe partswill' be found in single woodsheathed box eel-se t essentially the one chosen for illustration isfairly 10 representativeof its class.- As will be also understood, thepresent invention may obviously be carried out in connection withcompletely new cars, although will! adapted for conversion .of oldsingle wood sheathed cars.

In carrying out the present-invention, each half of a car side iscomprised of a plurality of sheet metal panels K and L. there being oneof theformerbetweeneachcorner ofthecarand nearest side'post D andgenerally three of the panels 1. between said sid post and the doorpost.

hchofsaldpanelsisof rectangularoutline and.

of a width corresponding to the distance between adjacent pairs of postsor post and comer of the carasthecasemaybeandofaheighttounder- 5lapthesideiplateandsoastoextend downtoa line slightly above the sidesill, as shown in Fig-' lire 5. The end panels K diifer somewhat,however, from the other panels L by reason of the absence of anydiagonal brace at the end of the car and also to allow for attachment ofthe usual grabiron and ladder rungs.

. Referring first to the panel K, the-same is shown as provided with avertically extending wide flat margin II. the edge of whichjfi lappedand riveted tothe side flang irons, one of which\is indicated at vladder rungs it on the opposite sidei' iof thecar, said ladderrunsabeing indicated by. l nes in Figure 1. Between the list. portion I.and the adjacent side post lit-the" panel K is dished portion is of'aheight'and widtlieone portion II isof a depth corresponding todepthofthe'sidepostandisunitedtotheportionsofthe'sheetintheoriginalplaneof ll-ll and formed with anoutwardly extended latteraround alisides byoutwai-dlyinciined lI-'-l-'I.

a,ov1, sos

under the depending flange I'lof the angle side plate C and securedthereto by the horizontal series ofrivets 28. The vertical flat edges ofthe panels are similarly underlspped and riveted-to the respective sideflanges 29-29 of the posts as by the vertical series of rivets 30-30. Atthe door. post, the adjacent panel is similarly lapped .under the innerflange 3| of the, 2 bar door post I" and secured thereto by the verticalseries of rivets 32. Where each of the panels L underlies a diagonalbrace E, it is riveted to the inner face of the latter as bythe rivets83 extended through the flanges of the pressed brace, each of the latterand the side posts being of substantially U or bath tub section, asshown.

To provide a rigid and weatherproof union between the side sheathing andthe side sill, a floor angle II is employed, the 'same extending fromdoor post to end wall of the car, said angle 34 having its outer upperextended flange under lapping and secured to the bottom marginal edge ofthe sheathing by the horizontal series of rivets IS. The lower inwardlyextended le'g' ll of the angle overlies and is riveted to the inturnedtop flange of the side sillA as by the series of'rivets 31. In additionto the angle ll serving to rigidify the lower edge of the sheathing andform a weather tight union with the side sill and support for the floorboards II laid thereon and secured vertical flange is extended above thefloorboards and thus serves asa fender to prevent moisture from' theinterior of the ear reaching the panel sheets at the side sill level.-'This is of importance,

inasmuch as it eliminates any question of the thickness or gauge of thesheets toresist corrosion and permits of the same being made-of lightergauge than wouldotherwise be possible;

' Said upstanding. flange'aiso eliminates danger of any nails beingdriven through the sheathing at the floor line, as will be apparent frominspection ofl igure 5.

The r'qof'of the car may be of any desired construction, the same beingshown as comprised -of roof sheets/4|, carlines 4| with an interposedangle 4: to which the downturned edges of the.

roof sheets are riveted, said angle being in tum rivetedfto. the topoutwardly sloping flange 48 of the side plate.

[Where the 'panel sheets are latter-being secured to the posts by-rivetbolts,

I. as best shown in Figure 4. Intermediate each pairof-posts D, woodspacersor flllers 40-48 are employed. The-latter'are-secured in place tov the outwardly dished portions of the panels by angle clipsl'l, itbeing understood that said flllers 4} are chamfered at their upper andlower ends to with the incilned sections 22 and 2} of the are also ofreduced indicated at le e, where the same pass .the' flat sections ll ofthe panels in line r wisehyangleclips-fl.

I 1 nded under theside plate adjacent the posts, as best shown'iwlth'the A corresponding filler, is of thepanei K as anner ligand 00are is" so proportiofied as to have their inner surfaces in a planecorresponding to the inside plane of the original wo'od sheathing sothat, when the inner wood' lining ii is applied in place, there is aspace left. between the outer surface thereof and the adjacent flatportions of the panels in the original plane of the latter'to an amountcorresponding to the thickness of the original wood sheathing, less thethickness of the metal sheathing, one of such spacings being indicatedat ii in Figure 4. With this arrangement, there is only slightpossibility of any ladihg attaching panels are obviously spacedsumciently outwardly from the lining as to eliminate danger of beingperforated by nails driven through the lining panel upwardly to suchpoint as is above an line below which nails are ordinarily driventhrough the lining for securing the lading. 1

From the preceding description, it will be seen that, in the case of aconverted single wood sheathed car, after the original wood lining istorn out, each of the panels K and L may be readily inserted in placefrom the inside. of the car and riveted to the respective frame memberswithout disturbing the position or condition of I the latter. The bottomangle 34 obviously may be applied after all the panels are in place,thus completing the steel side wall. As will be further evident, themetal sheathing provided is such as to involve a minimum outlay for ma-'terial and minimum outlay for applicationto the superstructureframework. The dished or other integral rigidifying'formation of thepanels obviously adds to their strength as well as forming a safeguardagainst perforations from nails and the completed wall functionsas ,atrue girder with the top cord provided by the side plate and the bottomcord bythe side sill and bottom angle braces a: all rigidlyrlveted tothe side plate and I4 and the struts and braces by the posts D and sidesill, as shown.

. Although the luv tion has been particular reference to the conversionof a single wood sheathed car, it is obvious that the eehetmetiondisclosed may be incorporated in new cars.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has herein been shownand described, the same is merely illustrative and all changes andmodiflcations are contemplated that come within the,

To prevent danger ofthe flat metal side plates having depending flanges;sheet metal ends; and a side wall structure witha door opening on eachside of the car,- each said side wall structure comprising metal doorposts, metal intermediate posts, metal diagonal braces between each pairof intermediate posts and intermediate posts and door posts, all of saidposts and braces being secured at their ends directly to the outer facesof the respective side plate depending flanges and to the side sill, anda plin'ality of rectangular sheet metal panels, the corner end panelseach extending between and secured along its vertical edges to thecorresponding-car end and adjacent side post and provided with anoutwardly onset,

rectangular, dished formation spaced from the corner a distancecorresponding approximately to the ladder spacing, each of'the remainingpanels being of a width corresponding to the space between two adjacentposts and each having two oppositely arranged andoutwardly disposedtriangular dish formations disposed in'the spaces defined by the posts,braces, side plate and side sill; reinforcing plates on those portionsof said corner end panels which correspond to said'ladder spacing;reinforcing plates for said corner end panels extending continuouslyfrom each car end to said dished formation of said end panels: andeafloor angle riveted to the bottom -edges of the panels and to the top ofthe side sill.

2. A house car including: a metal side sill; a metal side plate having adepending flange; metal side posts; metal diagonal braces, the bracesand posts being secured at their top and bottom ends directly to theouter iace of said side plate flange and to the side sill respectively,said posts and braces each having flanges extending length wise thereof;sheet metal side wall sheathing secured to the inner faces of saidflanges of the posts and braces, said metal sheathing inethe spacesdefined by the posts, braces, side plate and side sill being outwardlyoflset, said ofl'set'portions being united to those portions of thesheathing secured to the inner faces of said post and brace flanges bycontinuous, outwardly inclined sections paralleling'and disposedimmediately adjacent said flanges of the posts, braces and side plate, awooden lining extending between said posts,

ineans for fastening said lining in position in abutting relationshipwith said'postsj' whereby per-- foration of the sheathing from nailsdriven from the inside of the lining is minimiged.

i 3. A single metal sheathed hoiie car convert- -ed from a single woodsheathed house ca said ,wood sheathed car having the wooden sheathin ofthe side walls removed, the side posts and diagonal braces, side platesand side sills of said car remaining in their original position, an an-.

walls, said sheathing being placed from the in-\ flange extendingvertically andmetalic sheathingbeing overlapped upon said verticalflange of said angular member and the upper margin of i said sheathingbeing disposed so as to be overlapped by thecorresponding side plate,and means securing the sheathing of each side wall to-,said=posts-braces, side plate and said angiflar member.

4. A single metal sheathed house car convertvertical flange of 'ed' froma wood sheathed housecar; said latter car having side walls eachcomprising 'a side plate ,posts and diagonal braces secured to said sideinalconditiomametallicangularmember secured a to said side sill having avertical flange extending substantially between each and thecorresponding end of the car, a plurality, oi metallic end andintermediate panels withsaid plate, posts, braces, angular members andcar 10 and providingthesheathing for said sidewall,

' each of said intermediate panels being overlappins en a ement with thevertical flange of said angular member, its upper margin in under- 1 l5lapping engagement with the vertical flange oi said side plate and itsvertical margins underlapping corresponding posts, means securing saidside wall, each of said intermediate panels being positioned from theinside oi the car with its lower margin in overlapping engagement withthe vertical flange 01' said angular member, its upper margin inunder-lapp engagement with 5 the vertical flange of. said side plate andits vertical margins underlapplns corresponding posts,

, each oi said intermediate panels being provided with outwardly dishedtriangular portions sep arated by plane diagonal portions disposed with-I inthe triangularareasdeilnedbythe posts, from the inside of thecarwith its lower margin in margins to said parts with which they have lapping engagement and means securing each panel 2 to a corresponding sidebrace.

5. A single metal sheathed house car converted item a wood sheathedhouse car, said latter ca'r having side walls each comprising a sideplate having a vertical flange,a side sill, side and doon posts 2 anddiagonal braces secured to said side plate and sill and wooden sheathingand metallic ends, said sheathing being removed while maintaining saidside plate, side sill and posts and braces in their Original positionand in their original condition,

40 tical flange oi said angular member, its upper margin in underlappingengagement with the vertical iiange oi said side plate and its verticalmarginstunderlapping corresponding posts. each said end panels beingconnected'by outwardly intion lying in the main plane of said panels,said braces, side plate and side sill, each of said end being providedwith an outwardly dished substantially rectangular-portion and a flatportriangular dished panel portions and siiid marginal portions, andsaid rectangular dished portions and a vertical marginal portion. upperand lower marginal portions and the plane portion of clined portionsextendingcontinuously from the corresponding adjacent edges oi saidbraces. vertical flanges 'and said side plate and angular member andsaid plane portions of said end panels to said dished portions of saidpan-. els, said plane portions oi said end panels being secured to saidcar ends and being reinioroed by metallic plates extending continuouslyfrom said ends to the adjacent outwardly inclined portion a metallicangular member secured to said side of said [intermediate panels beingprovided with 48 dished triangular portions separated outwardly I byplane diagonal portions disposedwithin the connected with said panelpor-' Ii andpiane diagonal portions byoutwardly inaggggggaggsintermediatepanelsassociatedwith said, side plate, posts, braces,angular members "andcarendsandprovidingthesheathingi'orsaid ingoutwardly dished triangular portions conof each end panel; meanssecuring said panels to said posts, braces and vertical flanges of said7 side plate and angular member and a wooden lining i'or each side wall,said lining being secured to said posts in spaced relationship to said.outwardly dished portions of said panels for the purpose set forth. 1 l

7. The art of converting single wood sheathed house cars having metallicside plates havingvertical depending flanges, metallic side sills,metallic side and door posts and diagonal braces secured to said sideplate and side sill and deflning triangular areas therewith, metallicends and wooden sheathing to single metal sheathed use cars comprisingremoving the wooden shea hing while leaving the metallic portions oisaid car in the same position and condition, securing metallic memberstosaid side sills, said members extending from eachcar end tothe'adiacent-door post, applying metallic intermediate panels havnectedwith plane, marginal and diagonal portions by outwardly inclinedportions extending continuously between said plane and dished portionstoa side wall of the car from the inside thereof, disposing the lowermarginso! said intermediate' panels in overlapping engagement with saidmetallic members, swinging the upper house metallic having inand'adiacent post andiastening all said panels vto'tlie members withwhich they and" margins oi'said panels into-underlapping en- .Iagementwith said side plate flange so as to dispose the dishedtrlangulargportionsthereoi' in the said triangular a'reasand said plane,m||'.i'- ginal and diagonal portions in underl'applng engagement withsaid posts and diagonal braces, said plane portions 0! said panelsterminating at, theedges oithem'embers defining the triangularareas,-appliring metallic end panels to said-side walls-from theinsidethereof, overlapping the lower margins oi said end panels uponsaid-jmetallic members, swingingsaid panels into imderlapping engagementwith said side plate flange tothecsrends; e 8..'Ihe.arto1 convertingsingle-woodsheathed flning triangular areas therewith, metallic endsand; wooden sheathing to single metal sheathed house cars comprisingremoving the wooden sheathing while leaving the metallic portions ofdished portions to a side wall oitlie car from the ment with saidmetallic members, swinging the said car 'in the same position andcondition, 5ecuring ,metallic members to. said side sills, saidmembersextending irom each car end to the adjacent doorpost, applying metallicintermediate panels having outwardly dished triangu ar portionsconnected with plane, marginal and diagonal portions byoutwardlyinclinecl portions extending continuously .between said planeand inside thereof, disposing the lower niarginsoi saiddntermediatepanels in overlapping engageupper, margins oi said. panels intounder-lapping dispose .the dished triangular portions thereof in thesaid triangular areas and said plane, marginal and diagonal portions inunderlapping en- 'engagement with said side plate flange so as to thelower margins or said end ma ginal portions engaging "said post, sideplate 5 flange and metallic member terminate at, the

contiguous edges' thereotflreiniorcing the remainingplane marginalportions of said end p anels,. securing-said panels to wthe members withwhich they are lapped and to the car ends and 1 securing a wooden liningto saidposts in spaced relationship to said outwardly portions of saidpanels. w

- 9. Ahouse car 1555mm; anietallic side/ sill;

'a'metallic side plate having a depending flange; 15

metallic side 'pos'ts; said posts-{being secured at their top and bottomends to the outer face of said. side plateflange and to the side sillrespec tively, said posts eachv having 'flanges extending I lengthwisethereof; sheet met al'side wall sheathg0 ingsecured to the inner facesof said flanges oi the posts, said metallic sheathing in the, spacesdefined bytheposts, side'plate and side sill be ing outwardly ofl'set,said loflset portions, being 25 agenient with said posts and diagonalbraces, --'united to those portibn's oi the sheathing secured 25 saidplane portions oi said panels terminating at to the inner faces of saidpost flanges by conthB edges o the members defining t e tria gulartinuous outwardly inclined sections paralleling 'areas, applyingendpanels having outwardly anddisposedimmediately adjacent said fla iBesdished substantially rectangu ar portions termi-- 'of the posts and sideplate, a wooden lining ex-. 30 8 Short 1 'One vertical end or saidpanelstending between said posts, means' for fastening- 30 a d co e with"Plane marginal Po tions said'iining in position against said postswherethereoi by outwardly inclined portion-'2 .exti-indbyperioration oithe sheathing from nails driven ing continuously between said plane anddished 7 from the inside of the lining is minimized. portions from theinside of the ear, overlapping FRANK- DI'ICHFIELD.

I It is'h'etebjpentiiiied that e'rror appearefin-theprintedispeo'itioatioa at fi wapuinbex ed patentrequiring correct-ion asfollows: 2aga"'3,"\ s qn'd dolum, 1ins.62 .;c1ain 3; strikeoutJthe-"words iffiange extendingvertically and ,inetalliof andinsertgins'tead the syllable and ivorda side oi said car, the l'oviermargih til! said; that: the said. Letter-blatant r "ehouldlbe readvlith-ithifcorreotion therein 'thatgthe {same nayf-oonforn :to

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Sig et-i aad feealed-thifs 30th" day "or March, 1

I v actingwemmiss'i'oner or Patents.

flning triangular areas therewith, metallic ends and; wooden sheathingto single metal sheathed house cars comprising removing the woodensheathing while leaving the metallic portions of dished portions to aside wall oitlie car from the ment with said metallic members, swingingthe said car 'in the same position and condition, 5ecuring ,metallicmembers to. said side sills, saidmembers extending irom each car end tothe adjacent doorpost, applying metallic intermediate panels havingoutwardly dished triangu ar portions connected with plane, marginal anddiagonal portions by outwardlyinclinecl portions extending continuously.between said plane and inside thereof, disposing the lower niarginsoisaiddntermediate panels in overlapping engageupper, margins oi said.panels into under-lapping dispose .the dished triangular portionsthereof in the said triangular areas and said plane, marginal anddiagonal portions in underlapping en- 'engagement with said side plateflange so as to the lower margins or said end ma ginal portions engaging"said post, side plate 5 flange and metallic member terminate at, the

contiguous edges' thereotflreiniorcing the remainingplane marginalportions of said end p anels,. securing-said panels to wthe members withwhich they are lapped and to the car ends and 1 securing a wooden liningto saidposts in spaced relationship to said outwardly portions of saidpanels. w

- 9. Ahouse car 1555mm; anietallic side/ sill;

'a'metallic side plate having a depending flange; 15

metallic side 'pos'ts; said posts-{being secured at their top and bottomends to the outer face of said. side plateflange and to the side sillrespec tively, said posts eachv having 'flanges extending I lengthwisethereof; sheet met al'side wall sheathg0 ingsecured to the inner facesof said flanges oi the posts, said metallic sheathing in the, spacesdefined bytheposts, side'plate and side sill be ing outwardly ofl'set,said loflset portions, being 25 agenient with said posts and diagonalbraces, --'united to those portibn's oi the sheathing secured 25 saidplane portions oi said panels terminating at to the inner faces of saidpost flanges by conthB edges o the members defining t e tria gulartinuous outwardly inclined sections paralleling 'areas, applyingendpanels having outwardly anddisposedimmediately adjacent said fla iBesdished substantially rectangu ar portions termi-- 'of the posts and sideplate, a wooden lining ex-. 30 8 Short 1 'One vertical end or saidpanelstending between said posts, means' for fastening- 30 a d co e with"Plane marginal Po tions said'iining in position against said postswherethereoi by outwardly inclined portion-'2 .exti-indbyperioration oithe sheathing from nails driven ing continuously between said plane anddished 7 from the inside of the lining is minimized. portions from theinside of the ear, overlapping FRANK- DI'ICHFIELD.

I It is'h'etebjpentiiiied that e'rror appearefin-theprintedispeo'itioatioa at fi wapuinbex ed patentrequiring correct-ion asfollows: 2aga"'3,"\ s qn'd dolum, 1ins.62 .;c1ain 3; strikeoutJthe-"words iffiange extendingvertically and ,inetalliof andinsertgins'tead the syllable and ivorda side oi said car, the l'oviermargih til! said; that: the said. Letter-blatant r "ehouldlbe readvlith-ithifcorreotion therein 'thatgthe {same nayf-oonforn :to

F- hg r ra or t-he-oase' n the Patent Office. w

Sig et-i aad feealed-thifs 30th" day "or March, 1

I v actingwemmiss'i'oner or Patents.

